{Reading The Book of 2 Peter~ Week 13}

A reminder to Walk in Obedience to God

The gospels find Peter sitting in a boat with his brother Andrew catching fish when one day Jesus comes by and says to Peter, “Follow Me.” Peter left everything he had and followed Christ. The world that Peter had known suddenly changed. The man known for putting his foot in his mouth and denying Christ three times would become one of 12 Apostles that Christ would use to build His church.

I can see myself in Peter! Eager, quick to speak and slow to listen. Running ahead of myself, wanting to serve so badly, looking at everything around me and  forgetting to keep my eyes Jesus.  Can you relate to Peter at all?  If we are honest I think each of us can see a little of ourselves in him.

 What growth we see in the Apostle Peter from “he of little faith” to the rock upon which Christ would build His church! Christ prepared Peter for the work and service of building His church through many tribulations. Now Peter would prepare and encourage others in their work and service as the church.

In 2 Peter 1:14 we find Peter faced with the fact that he is about to die. Jesus tells Peter in John 21:18-19 that when he grew old, he would stretch out his hands and someone else would gird him and take him where he did not want to go.The church historian Tertullian, Origen, and Eusebius state that Peter’s was stretched out by his hands, he was dressed in prison garb, he was taken where no one wanted to go (a crucifixion), and was crucified.  He was said to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be crucified in the way that the Lord Jesus Christ had been.

We come to the second letter that Peter had penned to the brethren, aliens and strangers in this world, with a message to encourage and strengthen. Peter was determined and diligent to remind the brethren to whom they belonged. He would remind them/us that we have been bought with a price and to be obedient to our high calling as followers of Jesus Christ.

For This Very Reason

In 2 Peter 1:1-11 Peter reminds us that we are bond slavesand followers of Christ Jesus. He reminds us that God’s divine power has granted to us everything we need for life and godliness. Because of what God in Christ has done in and for us he urges us on to obedience. In 2 Peter 1:5-7 Peter gives us a list of qualities that should be ours and tells us that they should be increasing! I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 3:8″ Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Now applying all diligence to our faith:

• Supply moral excellence
• In your moral excellence, knowledge
• In your knowledge, self-control
• In your self-control, perseverance
• In your perseverance, godliness
• In your godliness, brotherly kindness
• In your brotherly kindness, love

The Christian life should always be fruit bearing. Peters words are strong, work out your salvation, be diligent in your walk with the Lord. There is action involved on our part. God has granted to us everything we need to grow, now walk in obedience to His call. Peter is not teaching us to walk on our own far from it. He is reminding us that we have been supplied with all that we need to walk. We have been given the indwelling Holy Spirit that guides and directs us. He has given us His written word to live by. By the way, the indwelling Holy Spirit will only guide and teach through the written word of God. That is why it is so vitally important to be diligent students of His word.This leads us to Peters next reminder.

False Prophets Are Alive and Well

Peter says in the first few verses of chapter 2 that false prophets arose among the people and would arise among us. His words have not failed to be true. There are false prophets all around us. Do you see them? Do you know that what they are saying and teaching is false? How do we know if what they are teaching is false? What are their motives?

Peter describes these men and women as false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies. In their greed, they will exploit you with false words. In their falsehood, they are denying the one who bought them and are bringing destruction upon themselves and on those who follow their teachings. I do not know about you but this passage scars me to death. I do not want to be deceived and taken down the wrong path! How about you? Let’s be diligent in keeping our eyes on Christ, staying in the word of God and praying for strength for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Their Destruction is Not Asleep

Warning! If God did not spare angels when they sinned but cast them into hell, nor spare the ancient world when He brought a flood and condemned Sodom and Gomorrah, do you not think He knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment? There is a day coming when all men will be judged. God is not slow about His promises. The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens and the earth will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” 2 Peter 3:11

The Lord is patient not wanting anyone to perish. The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation. The elect, the true believer in God through Christ Jesus will be protected. God will persevere him until the end. Peters words serve as a warning! Are you sure of your salvation? Are you being diligent to seek the word of God and not the words of man to see if you are indeed in the Lord?  Our walk with the Lord is serious business. This is not a game or something to be taken lightly. It is real and there are very real consequences for those who do not listen and obey the word of God!

Hasten The Day of The Lord

We are to be looking for and hastening the day of the Lord. We are to be about our Fathers business preaching the gospel to ourselves and sharing the word of truth with those who we are around.

Be diligent to be found in Him in peace, spotless and blameless. 2 Peter 3:14

Because of our security in Christ Jesus may we through the power of Christ, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and to the day of eternity.” 2 Peter 3:18

This message from Peter  is so timely. It is so vitally important for the believer to be in the word of God renewing their minds and learning what the will of God is. That is what we are doing here at Conforming To The Truth. We are reading through 17 New Testament books. We are entering our fourteenth week of reading and would love for you to join in with us. I always say it is never too late to start reading Truth. July 11th we will begin  reading the book of  1 John. Click on the image below to get all of the details! I am ready to send you the reading plan and add you to our Facebook group:) I also have a free Bible Study in the book of Titus. Click on the image below and it will take you to all of the details!